Pre-qualifying

The Maseratis competing at Paul Ricard only ran a few laps in the pre-qualifying session as track temperatures soared to 50°C (30°C air).

With an eye on protecting their tyres, the Maseratis took to the track forty minutes after the session had started but Bartels/Bertolini wasted no time in posting the third best time.

The other Vitaphone Racing Team Maserati, crewed by Bernoldi/Ramos, closed out the session in eleventh spot while the two Triple H Hegersport MC12s appeared to be improving all the time with Margaritis/Heger (8th) and Bobbi/Longin (14th).

The session was held up for a few minutes to allow Piccione/Hirschi’s No.9 Aston Martin to be removed from its stationary position on the track.

Bartels/Bertolini fourth after free practice

This weekend's action, round four of the GT1 World Championship, is taking place at the Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet, France.

The Maserati MC12s fielded by the Vitaphone Racing Team performed well in the first 80 minutes: Bertolini (No.1) and Bernoldi (No.2) tested the water for the opening laps before really pushing on and setting fast lap times. Andrea Bertolini set his best time (2:06.226) on lap seven, edging out Kox's Lamborghini Murcielago and his team mate, Bernoldi (2:06.569). The other two Maseratis took eleventh (Bobbi) and thirteenth (Margaritis).

The driver changes took place halfway through the session and the time that was left was used for studying the track layout and making notes of the reference points that will be useful in qualifying and in the two races. This second half was when Accary topped the timesheet. Between him and Bertolini/Bartels (fourth) came the Nissan crewed by Campbell-Walter/Hughes and Kox/Haase in their Lamborghini. Bernoldi/Ramos came seventh and the two Triple H Hersport Maseratis closed the session in nineteenth and twentieth.

Free practice

N°

Drivers

Car

Time

1

9

Accary / Makowiecki

Aston Martin DB9

2:05.565

2

22

Hughes / Campbell-Walter

Nissan GT - R

2:05.945

3

24

Kox / Haase

Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-S

2:06.147

4

1

Bertolini / Bartels

Maserati MC12

2:06.226

5

3

Wendlinger / Moser

Nissan GT - R

2:06.388

6

8

Nygaard / Mücke

Aston Martin DB9

2:06.545

7

2

Bernoldi / Ramos

Maserati MC12

2:06.560

8

40

Leinders / Martin

Ford GT

2:06.734

9

7

Turner / Enge

Aston Martin DB9

2:06.769

10

23

Krumm / Dumbreck

Nissan GT - R

2:07.048

11

25

Zonta / Daniel

Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-S

2:07.163

12

6

Panis / Gachnang

Ford GT Matech

2:07.188

13

11

Hezemans / Maassen

Corvette Z06

2:07.247

14

37

Bouchut / Basseng

Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-S

2:07.695

15

5

Grosjean / Mutsch

Ford GT Matech

2:07.825

16

10

Hirschi / Piccione

Aston Martin DB9

2:07.883

17

41

Kuppens / Palttala

Ford GT

2:07.957

18

13

Piccini / Hennerici

Corvette Z06

2:08.086

19

34

Bobbi / Longin

Maserati MC12

2:08.292

20

33

Margaritis / Heger

Maserati MC12

2:08.827

21

4

Ara / Nilsson

Nissan GT - R

2:08.987

22

12

Gavin / Kuismanen

Corvette Z06

2:09.838

23

38

Schwager / Pastorelli

Lamborghini Murcielago 670 R-S

2:11.432

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